“Clouds!” Fizzle shouts as he darts to the ground. He lands on Timoran’s shoulder, nearly driving the barbarian to his knees. “Keyhole not real keyhole. Garden in sky. Clouds are shield and keyhole.”
“That makes sense,” Sari says while eyeing the darkening sky. “A physical lock can be picked, so something like this would be unbreakable. You could probably force your way in with enough power, but that would set off the defenses and warn the creatures inside. Toss the Compass Key into the clouds, Timoran.”
With a nod from Nyx, the barbarian stands on the wooden step and holds the relic in his palm. Timoran hurls the Compass Key into the clouds and watches for it to plummet to the ground. Instead, a burst of lightning streaks from the sky and bounds along the cliff. Everyone leaps out of the way as the crackling energy splits and strikes all of the pillars. The columns spin rapidly to create a compact maelstrom that drives most of the champions to the mountain side of the cliff. Finding himself within a small pocket of calm air, Timoran crouches on the wooden step where the powerful winds cannot touch him.
“How are we supposed to breathe on those things?” Luke asks, putting his hand into the windstorm. He yanks it back when the force nearly wrenches his arm out of its socket. “None of us can get near them.”
Sari points at the nearest pillar, her finger making tiny circles of frost. “The tops of the pillars aren’t spinning. One of us could get up there and jump from one pillar to another. We’d have to touch them in order, which could be a problem if they’re opposite each other. It all depends on the second part of that riddle, but we still need someone who can jump with precision. Luke is too weak and we can’t get to Timoran to explain the plan, which means it’s up to me. I only need to know the pattern.”
“Fizzle could touch,” the drite announces. “Fizzle fly. Better than jump.”
“I agree with Sari,” Delvin interjects, patting the tiny dragon on the head. “There’s probably a penalty for touching the wrong pillar. If something bad happens to you then Luke will lose his fight to the Dark Wind. Besides, we don’t know what will happen if a non-champion attempts to open the path. It could hurt, curse, or kill you.”
Fizzle frowns and flies to Luke, wrapping his tail around his friend’s shoulders. “Fizzle understand. Not happy, but understand. What is order? Yellow, black, white on right. Blue, red, green on left. Fizzle no know.”
“Isaiah once told us that his organization could only learn about champions who had started on their journey. That’s what accepting the path must be in reference to,” Nyx whispers as she watches the storm. Her violet eyes move from one pillar to another, their motion nearly making her dizzy. “The order changes with every generation of champions because it’s never the same role that awakens first. For example, I was the first one this time, but it could have been the sapphire champion in the last group. Why did you pick the yellow pillar, Delvin?”
“It felt right,” he responds with a shrug.
The caster grabs Sari by the shoulders and stares into the gypsy’s eyes. “Listen very carefully because I don’t know what will happen if you breathe on the wrong one. The order is red, green, blue, black, yellow, and white. Do you need help getting up there?”
“Boost me, Nyxie.”
With a slap on the back, the half-Elven caster puts an enhancer spell on her friend. Sari bounces on her toes a few times to get used to her increased strength and agility. The final jump sends her several feet into the air and she drifts down with the help of her boots. As soon as her feet touch the ground, she leaps over the windstorm and heads for the red pillar. Crackling energy ripples around the column when she lands and she feels a numbing pain as she crouches to breathe on the stone. A horrific screech fills the air before Sari is launched off the column and sent careening off the cliff. Her boots fail to stop her wild descent until Fizzle appears to catch her with his tail. The gypsy’s mouth goes dry as she looks down and realizes she nearly plummeted to her death.
“That was terrifying,” she gasps as the drite carries her back to the cliff. She falls to her knees at Nyx’s feet and takes several deep breaths. “I don’t know what went wrong. There was a delay before I was ejected, so we had the right plan. Could it be reverse order?”
“Try starting with the white pillar and then go to the red,” Luke suggests, taking a seat on a large stone. “What if the sixth champion stepped on the path first and was captured? This is a wild guess based on a vision I had.”
“That strange woman?” Sari asks with a knowing smile. “I got that sense from her too.”
Nyx takes the gypsy by the wrist and wraps an aura tether around her arm. “Just in case you’re wrong. I’ll keep this loose unless you get rejected again. Good luck.”
Sari nods and stares at the distant white pillar, carefully judging the distance. With a slow exhale, she leaps to the column and nervously blows on the stone. The pillar releases a loud hum and stops spinning, which gives Timoran enough space to move off the wooden step. Sari jumps over the windstorm and snags the far edge of the red tower with her hand. Pulling herself up and gasping on the smooth stone, she shakes the tension from her limbs while plotting the rest of her course. By the time she jumps for the yellow column, the gypsy is adding flips and spins to her display. Landing on her toes and dramatically holding up her arms, Sari pinwheels to breathe on the last of the humming towers.
All of the pillars sink into the earth, vibrating the cliff with enough force to make everyone struggle to stay standing. The wooden step violently quivers before a long stairway telescopes out of the mountain and pierces the looming clouds. A booming collision, followed by a ringing click, can be heard as the cliff stops trembling. The clouds gradually part to reveal a wall of glass-like stone and a gaping doorway at the far end of the rough stairs. Sitting above the archway is the Compass Key, the relic slowly rotating in its keyhole.
*****
“Wow,” Sari whispers as she stares at the expanse of lush trees that are dusted with fresh snow. The spire of a castle can be seen in the distance, the glittering of moving metal sending beams of reflected light across the Garden of Uli. Soft grass covers the ground and berry-dotted bushes run along the inside of the thick wall. A calm river loops off to the left and Sari can feel an enchanting serenity wafting off the current. The faint scent of cedar is in the air, occasionally replaced by the smell of pine when the winds come from the west. It would be a beautiful place if not for the thick streams of Dark Wind weaving around the tree trunks.
“I’m surprised the living curse is still up here,” Luke says, rubbing his arms even though the chill is deep within his bones. “It’s really thick too. I don’t see any way through this without touching that stuff.”
“It’s denser and lazier,” Nyx mentions, her eyes turning gold. Her curiosity grows as she watches the living curse move and shift like a slumbering snake. “Almost like it’s a different flavor of Dark Wind. I can’t tell if it’s stronger or weaker than the one already in Luke. I really don’t like the looks of this.”
Timoran unsheathes his great axe and sniffs at the air. “The Dark Hazes may prove to be a challenge if we fight them in the open wilderness. Though I feel Nyx will have the power to handle them better than myself.”
“It’s not the demons this time,” the caster replies in a voice filled with frustration and confusion. “There’s something familiar here, but I can’t pin it down. The best way I can explain this is like trying to catch a singing bird within a tornado while blindfolded. It’s on the edge of my senses, but keeps eluding me.”
“Stay alert and move forward,” Delvin orders, drawing his longsword and tightening his shield. “We can’t waste any more time. Fizzle, I want you to stay with Timoran or Nyx because you’re almost as weak as Luke. Both of you in the same spot might be too tempting for our enemies.”
“Fizzle choose Timoran,” the drite declares. With a wide yawn, he flutters over to perch on the barbarian’s head. “Fizzle take to air and retreat if b
attle starts.”
“I suggest we follow the river, which gives me an edge if we run into trouble,” Sari says as she walks backwards toward the water. She sees the grim looks on her friends’ faces and draws two daggers. “Fine. When we run into trouble. I thought I’d be optimistic. Honestly, how much trouble was the Island of Pallice?”
“Ogres and new world vampires,” Luke answers, jogging ahead of the gypsy. “I’ll take the lead because this stuff is after me. Anyone protecting me will be in danger, so I might as well stay in the open. No arguments.”
The forest tracker draws his sabers and heads into the forest, the others cautiously trailing behind. He can feel their worried gazes on his back, so he focuses on walking and fights the temptation to talk. There is a gentle tug is in his veins, the sensation growing more urgent with every silent minute. Scratching along his torso scar, Luke feels like the old wound is about to split open and release the Dark Wind squirming inside him. In fact, the teeming mass of corruption within his body has become more active ever since he passed the outer wall. It is not pain that runs through his body, but a tickling excitement that reminds him of stalking a predator. The idea that he might be on the verge of violently giving birth to a demon makes Luke sweat and shiver. He is silently thankful that his friends are behind him and unable to see the terrified expression on his face.
Coming to a stop, the forest tracker tenses when a thick arm of the surrounding living curse reaches out to him. Before he can slash at it, the shadowy tendril curls around his body without touching his clothes or skin. Pink sparks of magic fly off the warrior, but they are greedily devoured by the stronger Dark Wind. The living curse uncoils and strokes Luke’s chest, the evil energy hissing with glee at the feel of his heart briefly stopping. The half-elf falls to his knees, his body shuddering and ebony tears seeping from his eyes.
“I’ve got you,” Sari whispers as she hurries to put her arms around Luke. She pulls away when a corrupted tear burns her skin. “What’s happening to him?”
“I’ve no idea,” Nyx answers, kneeling next to her friend to check his aura. The chaotic swirling of black, green, yellow, and pink makes her violently ill. By the time she forces herself to look away, the caster is struggling to settle her stomach. “It’s a mess in there and I don’t know why. I really think I’m going to throw up because the world keeps spinning.”
Luke spasms with his back arching to the point where only his heels and the back of his head are touching the ground. With his jaws clenched, he flips over and spews gelatinous Dark Wind from his mouth. As if alive, the ooze sloughs into the river and turns the churning rapids black. The living curse around the trees gathers and crashes into the water, thick tendrils beating at the corrupted liquid. The half-elf relaxes as the river is cleansed and the Dark Wind returns to its lazy coiling around the trees.
“I guess the living curses don’t get along,” Delvin whispers, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. “Can you walk, Luke?”
“In a manner of speaking,” the half-elf answers as he stands with Sari’s help. “I won’t be moving very quickly, but my legs work. It was like a great fear and sorrow took over, which gave the Dark Wind an opening to try and consume me.”
“Why did it leave you?” Timoran asks.
“All I felt was panic. I need time to think on it, which we don’t have. Let’s get to the castle and find a place to rest.”
Delvin is about to agree when Nyx nearly collapses and he swiftly catches her. The warrior notices that she is making sickening coughs and her throat keeps gulping for air. “You’re really pale and I can tell you’re trying to hold back your nausea. This isn’t the place to lose our most powerful weapon. Do you want one of us to carry you?”
“Weapon?” Nyx growls, pushing him away. She immediately regrets the sudden movement and bends forward as the forest spins. “I’ll be fine. Just hand me some water and ignore any horrible noises that come from my direction.”
“No time!” Fizzle exclaims, taking flight and zipping around his friends. “Fizzle see trouble! Fizzle no want this trouble again! Run and come back!”
“What in Cessia’s name is that?” Sari says in a numb voice.
Following the gypsy’s gaze, everyone sees a dense swarm rise out of the trees and twist in the sky. The tiny figures unleash a chorus of chitters and hisses as they get closer to the champions. Passing overhead, the creatures are clearly seen as emaciated sprites with tiny spears. A rain of foamy drool melts the snow from the treetops and leaves steaming puddles on the forest floor. Remaining cautious of the armed adventurers and the nimble drite, the swarm makes a wide turn over the Garden to come back around.
“Fizzle fight bad sprites before. Fizzle no like. Fizzle want retreat.”
“We won’t even come close to the entrance before they’re on us,” Delvin announces, backing away from the incoming fae. “Make a run along the river and don’t look back. Sari can use the water to fend the sprites off if they get too close. At the very least, we’ll break them into smaller groups.”
“I suggest we run quickly,” Timoran says when he hears an eerie shuffling from the forest behind him. “The sprites are not our only problem. There is something else coming after us through the trees.”
A choked noise comes from Luke, who notices the other creatures before his friends. With the shattering of branches, the leather-winged spiders burst from the treetops and attack the sprites. Legs curled against their abdomens, the mottled creatures soar through the swarm and devour the corrupted fae. Some of the predators release streams of ivory web from their spindles to snare their prey and loop around to inhale what they have caught. Their throats bulge and throb from the struggling sprites that are slowly digested. With most of the tiny creatures eaten, the flying spiders turn their attention to the adventurers.
Luke’s legs refuse to move as the arachnids pass overhead, the predators staying out of reach of the warriors. His knuckles are white as he grips his sabers and he tries to urge his paralyzed body into action. He feels the heat from Nyx’s fireballs, which miss their targets and sputter above the trees. The screams of his friends barely register in his head as black sweat drips from his pores. A shiver runs through his muscles every time one of the spiders flies close enough for him to get a clear look at its sapphire eyes. Luke fails to move even when he hears the muffled shriek of Sari, her face and hands entombed by globs of webbing.
“How many of them are there?” Delvin asks, sidestepping an incoming tether.
“I do not believe it matters,” Timoran replies as he tries to free Sari. Using one of her fallen daggers, he carefully cuts a hole for her to breathe through and tries to saw through the bonds on her hands. “The spiders are going to gradually bind us, but Nyx’s attempts are keeping them at bay. They will eventually realize that her aim is hampered and attack with full strength.”
“I’ll get Nyx and you carry Sari and Fizzle,” the brown-haired warrior orders. He sheathes his blade and rushes to grab the dizzy caster, ignoring her scowl. “Snap out of it and follow us, Callindor!”
The adventurers only make it a few steps before the spiders block them in with a wall of thick webbing. Another barrier is created on their other side, cutting them off from escape and Luke. The spiders ignore the frozen forest tracker and focus on their moving prey, several of them landing on the webs. When Nyx’s hands erupt in flames, the creatures turn around and spray her with webbing. The first few strands are incinerated by her magic, but several avoid the fire and stick her to Delvin. With the warrior unable to get away, the caster is unable to use her full power without risking his life.
“These spiders are smart,” she growls, her face stuck to her friend’s shoulder. “They know I can’t cut loose if I’m connected to you.”
“Give it a try,” he insists as webbing sticks Timoran’s feet to the ground.
“My head is still swimming, so I don’t want to risk it. We need Luke to save us.”
“He’s broken and sick. I don�
�t want to lose faith in him, but he’s pushed himself too far. You saw the look on his face, Nyx. He’s pushed beyond his limits.”
“I refuse to give up on him,” she argues with fire flickering along two of her three unstuck fingers. She takes a deep breath and focuses her magic to amplify her voice. “Get your head together and save us, little brother! Stop being an idiot and crush these spiders! Do you want me to get eaten? What about Sari and Fizzle? Be a damn hero!”
The winged spiders creep down the webs, their mouths dripping with sprite blood and black ooze. They are nearly within reach of the adventurers when a roaring screech echoes throughout the Garden. A large form tears through the barriers and all of the spiders take flight. Furious and hungry, the crazed griffin chases the panicking creatures. Black-veined feathers drift to the ground as she chases her prey through the sky and rips them apart. Web strands latch onto her body and the spiders try to drag the beast into the forest. With a violent spiral, the griffin snaps the strands and soars high above the Garden. Hovering over the forest, she looks decrepit with her matted fur and rapidly molting wings. Her chest puffs out as she takes an awkward breath and watches the winged spiders retreat.
“Why is she staying up there?” Nyx asks as she carefully burns the webs off herself and Delvin. “The fight’s over.”
“I don’t think she realizes that,” the warrior answers, his voice full of worry.
The griffin unleashes a roaring screech and races after the surviving winged spiders. Her body becomes a brown blur against the clouds as she slashes them out of the sky. When the final arachnid is nothing more than a plummeting corpse, she slows down and drifts aimlessly above the forest. She disappears behind the distant trees and a mournful cry is the last anyone hears from her before a crunching thud.
Curse Of The Dark Wind (Book 6) Page 28
